Cabinet recommendations for a Mark V

[tlester]

So... I think I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on a Mark V head. I'm wondering if I could get some recommendations on cabs. I play a variety of stuff from funk, pop/top-40 type stuff, to rock/alt-rock, and hard rock. I don't do the hard core metal, too much. I easily get into Chevelle, Rage Against the Machine, Sound Garden, etc. tones. So, I'm just looking for really good, versatile tone.

I like the mesa cabs, but they are pricy. I'm willing to pay, though... if they are worth it. Also, I'm looking at maybe a 2x12. Is a 4x12 going to rock that much harder? Is it worth the extra space/weight/etc for the 4x12?

What about marshal cabs? Or Orange? Or any of the other cab makers?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Barry]

So... I think I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on a Mark V head. I'm wondering if I could get some recommendations on cabs. I play a variety of stuff from funk, pop/top-40 type stuff, to rock/alt-rock, and hard rock. I don't do the hard core metal, too much. I easily get into Chevelle, Rage Against the Machine, Sound Garden, etc. tones. So, I'm just looking for really good, versatile tone.

I like the mesa cabs, but they are pricy. I'm willing to pay, though... if they are worth it. Also, I'm looking at maybe a 2x12. Is a 4x12 going to rock that much harder? Is it worth the extra space/weight/etc for the 4x12?

What about marshal cabs? Or Orange? Or any of the other cab makers?

Thanks in advance!

Do you play big enough venues for a 4X12 cab ? If so get one , they are magical , you dont only hear them you feel them as well and they will save your butt if you have to play outdoors . Having said that i feel the 2x12 horizontal recto cab is awesome . Its a fairly old design from Mesa and its been around now for 20 years , there is a reason for that . its just a good sounding cab . I have a 1X12, 2X12 & 4X12 so Ive got all bases covered . They are all good sounding cabs and Im partial to V30s not so much on C90s but you will get all sort of responses here . You will probably be confused at the end of it , go try some if you can .

 

[SteveO]

After a little trial-and-error, I discovered that I prefer the C90s to the V30s with the Mark V. My personal favorite cab is the 3/4 back 2x12, it has good bottom end and retains that open-back "airiness". Honestly, you will have to let your ears decide for you because everybody likes different things.

 

[screamingdaisy]

To add to the confusion... I like both C90s and V30 speakers, but if I could only choose one I'd choose the C90.

The C90 is a warm speaker. Lots of midrange and bottom end, a little duller/smoother/darker top end.

The V30 is a mid heavy speaker. Lots of upper midrange, decent low mids and not a lot of top end or bottom end.

The C90 works very well at all volumes and the extra bottom end gives it a chunky character when pushed hard. It has a nicer clean tone than the V30 due to it's fuller/smoother sound. The reason I'd choose it over the V30 is for it's ability to sound fuller/thicker across a variety of volume settings.

The V30 (IMO) sounds a little thin at low volumes, but turns into a monster at higher volumes where it dishes out crunch like it's going out of style.

The if you have the extra cash, the Road King series of cabs have a V30 closed back/C90 open back mix in one cab. I haven't tried one personally but I think they'd be an excellent match for a Mark V.

 

[mrodr008]

I went through C90s and V30s with my MKV. Finally stayed put on EVM12l speakers. Something else to consider!

 

[rizboog]

The roadking cab is perfect 2x12 or 4x12. I mean perfect. REASONS: Just take one second to switch from open to closed, the open back is amazing with the clean channels, the closed back are pure punch punch punch for channels 2 and three. Here is a real ex. from my opening set list. I think history and what was used on the recording and then go for it: Rebel Rebel, Mark IV setting closed cab, like Ronson's marshall, and I use a Les Paul. Brown Sugar, open cab (he used fender and boogie both open backs) a strat in open G tuning on the tweed channel, Honkey Tonk Women (same setting), Can't get enough of your love, closed cab, strat or tele, open G tuning, crunch with gain at about 1:00(this is truely a plexi channel, shut down the reverb, there was none on old marshalls, PERFECT (saw youtube for the strat and tele). Back in Black and Shook me all night long, Gibson, closed back, MarkIIc+ is modded Marshall territory, Perfect, I mean Perfect. Rumble in Brighton tonight, Closed back, tweed setting, Humbuckers, Setzer uses closed back fender 2x12 bassman cabs. You gotta hear this!!! The list goes on and on. Remember if I go with extreme I use both speakers together for the most spine-tingling tone ever heard, imagine 4x12 with half open, half closed, at the same time!! No Fuchs or Rheinhardt is gonna doo all this s#*t. Good luck!

 

[tlester]

How do you switch from the closed to open side of the cab during a set?

 

[Barry]

you would need a switcher like the RK has

 

[YellowJacket]

So... I think I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on a Mark V head. I'm wondering if I could get some recommendations on cabs. I play a variety of stuff from funk, pop/top-40 type stuff, to rock/alt-rock, and hard rock. I don't do the hard core metal, too much. I easily get into Chevelle, Rage Against the Machine, Sound Garden, etc. tones. So, I'm just looking for really good, versatile tone.

I like the mesa cabs, but they are pricy. I'm willing to pay, though... if they are worth it. Also, I'm looking at maybe a 2x12. Is a 4x12 going to rock that much harder? Is it worth the extra space/weight/etc for the 4x12?

What about marshal cabs? Or Orange? Or any of the other cab makers?

Thanks in advance!

Do you play big enough venues for a 4X12 cab ? If so get one , they are magical , you dont only hear them you feel them as well and they will save your butt if you have to play outdoors . Having said that i feel the 2x12 horizontal recto cab is awesome . Its a fairly old design from Mesa and its been around now for 20 years , there is a reason for that . its just a good sounding cab . I have a 1X12, 2X12 & 4X12 so Ive got all bases covered . They are all good sounding cabs and Im partial to V30s not so much on C90s but you will get all sort of responses here . You will probably be confused at the end of it , go try some if you can .

I'm going to be building a 2 x 12 with a c90 and a v30 in it! Maybe consider doing a speaker mix in a cab or even working on a DIY speaker cab project. It can be a lot of fun to customize . . .
Another thought: You can buy two 2 x 12 cabs. This way you can keep one at home for practice and one in a jamspace. IF you ever need four speakers, haul them both out and you can make two significantly less backbreaking trips!!

 

[screamingdaisy]

I went with a pair of widebody 1x12 cabs... open back top, thiele bottom.

When they arrive both will have C90s, however I'm planning on experimenting with a V30?C90 mix to see how it works with those cabs.

In hindsight the RoadKing cab would've been a great choice (and probably cheaper), but I never thought about it until after I'd put in the order.

 

[YellowJacket]

I went with a pair of widebody 1x12 cabs... open back top, thiele bottom.

When they arrive both will have C90s, however I'm planning on experimenting with a V30?C90 mix to see how it works with those cabs.

In hindsight the RoadKing cab would've been a great choice (and probably cheaper), but I never thought about it until after I'd put in the order.

Well ya, but the Roadking cab would bust your back in the process. This setup will be far better for loading in and out of smaller gigs. I'm interested to hear how the open back / thiele works for thump and grind. I find the thiele cabs breathe well and do great cleans so I'm planning on pairing mine with a close back cab for big jobs so I get some punch and thump as well. You are planning on putting the v30 in the open back or the thiele?

 

[screamingdaisy]

I went with a pair of widebody 1x12 cabs... open back top, thiele bottom.

When they arrive both will have C90s, however I'm planning on experimenting with a V30?C90 mix to see how it works with those cabs.

In hindsight the RoadKing cab would've been a great choice (and probably cheaper), but I never thought about it until after I'd put in the order.

Well ya, but the Roadking cab would bust your back in the process. This setup will be far better for loading in and out of smaller gigs. I'm interested to hear how the open back / thiele works for thump and grind. I find the thiele cabs breathe well and do great cleans so I'm planning on pairing mine with a close back cab for big jobs so I get some punch and thump as well. You are planning on putting the v30 in the open back or the thiele?

I plan on trying each way.

 

[YellowJacket]

I plan on trying each way.

Let me know how this goes. I'm curious.

 

[JAZZGEAR]

I went with a pair of widebody 1x12 cabs... open back top, thiele bottom.

When they arrive both will have C90s, however I'm planning on experimenting with a V30?C90 mix to see how it works with those cabs.

In hindsight the RoadKing cab would've been a great choice (and probably cheaper), but I never thought about it until after I'd put in the order.

Well ya, but the Roadking cab would bust your back in the process. This setup will be far better for loading in and out of smaller gigs. I'm interested to hear how the open back / thiele works for thump and grind. I find the thiele cabs breathe well and do great cleans so I'm planning on pairing mine with a close back cab for big jobs so I get some punch and thump as well. You are planning on putting the v30 in the open back or the thiele?

I plan on trying each way.

I had this setup (MK V Combo on top of the WB ported 1x12 w/v30s --and it sounded killer.....perfect sounding cleans and great O/D leads. Only problem I found is that at some gigs where we were the house band (mostly sitting down), the combo's sound dominated the mix in my ear and it didnt sound as good or full, but standing and a bit away from the amp/cab, it sounded killer.

 

[Chester]

On Marshalls, I run a 4X12 Anniversary and a 2X12 1936 in a studio setting with a TC G Force in the loop. Standrad G12 75s sound balanced at both low and higher volumes across the spectrum, and seem to love the EL34 set up in my MKV and Stiletto Deuce

Worth a look - both cabs are well worn, which helps!

 

[kdorsey]

I know this is after the fact, but I thought I'd add to this great discussion. When you're "in the market" you can't get enough details!

My primary cabs are Boogie 2x12 half-backs (top can be open or closed if you unscrew the panel and the bottom is closed back, Thiel ported). One is closed top w/ Fender Jensen on top and EV12 in the bottom. The other is open top w/ G12-70s in both. Since I bought these in the height of Neil Schon's success, they came with the G12-70s (he heavily endorsed these cabs)...which sounded great at the time, but soon bored me. And after changing their config numerous times over the past 20 years, I recently went back to playing the open top w/ the Celestions. The harsh brightness stopped pissing me off when I revoiced my Boogie MkIII's tone (again) to match. This time the results are excellent.

Remember, the Boogie 2x12s have nearly the same volume and facing surface area as a Marshall 1960 4x12. They are very large and heavy, resulting in really big bass. When I plug in both cabs, I get magic. And while I typically only mic the top Celestion, the combination of speaker character is very cool to me.

Output is really good (loud), but controllable. Having recently played outdoors w/ the audience 50'+ away and piss-poor PA, both cabs saved the day. In fact, the mix was perfect from my perspective. If the audience was closer, I could have dropped on of the cabs and not suffered a huge tonal difference. It's nice to have the flexibility to adapt.